Painter, gallerist, sculptor, musician, composer, writer.
WILLY WIEDMANN
Wilhelm Richard Heinrich “Willy” Wiedmann (March 14th 1929 in Ettlingen, Germany – June 21st 2013 in Bad Cannstatt, Stuttgart) was a German painter, muralist, sculptor, musician, composer, writer, author, publisher, and gallerist.
Wiedmann worked in many fields of artistic endeavors, he created compositions, wrote poems, and made paintings. Using different alias he created paintings of different styles. As a musician he performed with Jazz musicians such as Louis Armstrong or Benny Goodman. Wiedmann also attended and organized national and international exhibitions, and received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2002 for his work in the service of art and culture. Between 1975 and 1998 Wiedmann re-designed artwork in churches in Germany, Italy, Austria, etc. Examples include the Martinskirche in Wildberg, and the Pauluskirche in Zuffenhausen, Stuttgart in 1984. The convergence between art and church inspired Wiedmann and culminated in the idea for his main work: The Wiedmann Bible. He labored for sixteen years, painting the 3,333 pictures, folded into a Leporello. So far the Wiedmann Bible is the only existing Bible depicting the complete Old and New Testament solely in images. It is painted in Wiedmann’s own Polycon style.
WORKS
Wiedmann worked in many fields of artistic endeavors, he created compositions, wrote poems, made paintings. Using different alias such as George Yugone, Allan Doe, Eugen von Engelsbogen, and Emilio Graesli, Alkibiades Zickle, Marc Johann, etc. he created 30,000 paintings. Wiedmann also attended and organized national and international exhibitions, and received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2002 for his work in the service of art and culture. His life’s work, however, was THE WIEDMANN BIBLE. The only Bible that depicts the complete Old and New Testament in 3,333 images.
THE WIEDMANN BIBLE
Willy Wiedmann had a vision: creating a Bible depicting the Old and New Testament without words. He labored for 16 years on this unique artwork. Since the technology was not as advanced as it is today he was not able to publish it and stored it in his attic. After decades and thanks to his son’s efforts the Wiedmann Bible is now accessible for everyone.
